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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2012

Modeling Transverse Cracking in Laminates With a Single Layer of Elements Per Ply

The objective of the present paper is to investigate the ability of mesolevel X-FEM models with a single layer of elements per ply to capture accurately all aspects of matrix cracking. In particular, we examine whether the model can predict the insitu ply thickness effect on crack initiation and propagation, the crack density as a function of strain, the strain for crack saturation, and the interaction between delamination and transverse cracks. Results reveal that the simplified model does not capture correctly the shear-lag relaxation of the stress field on either side of a crack, which leads to an overprediction of the crack density. It is also shown, however, that after onset of delamination many of the inserted matrix cracks close again, and that the density of open cracks becomes similar to the density predicted by the detailed model. The degree to which the spurious cracks affect the global response is quantified and the reliability of the mesolevel approach with a single layer of elements per ply is discussed.

Van Der Meer, Frans P.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Micromechanics Fatigue Damage Analysis Modeling for Fabric Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites

A micromechanics analysis modeling method was developed to analyze the damage progression and fatigue failure of fabric reinforced composite structures, especially for the brittle ceramic matrix material composites. A repeating unit cell concept of fabric reinforced composites was used to represent the global composite structure. The thermal and mechanical properties of the repeating unit cell were considered as the same as those of the global composite structure. The three-phase micromechanics, the shear-lag, and the continuum fracture mechanics models were integrated with a statistical model in the repeating unit cell to predict the progressive damages and fatigue life of the composite structures. The global structure failure was defined as the loss of loading capability of the repeating unit cell, which depends on the stiffness reduction due to material slice failures and nonlinear material properties in the repeating unit cell. The present methodology is demonstrated with the analysis results evaluated through the experimental test performed with carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide matrix plain weave composite specimens.

Min, J. B.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Cohesive Modeling of Transverse Cracking in Laminates with a Single Layer of Elements per Ply

This study aims to bridge the gap between classical understanding of transverse cracking in cross-ply laminates and recent computational methods for the modeling of progressive laminate failure. Specifically, the study investigates under what conditions a finite element model with cohesive X-FEM cracks can reproduce the in situ effect for the ply strength. It is shown that it is possible to do so with a single element across the thickness of the ply, provided that the interface stiffness is properly selected. The optimal value for this interface stiffness is derived with an analytical shear lag model. It is also shown that, when the appropriate statistical variation of properties has been applied, models with a single element through the thickness of a ply can predict the density of transverse matrix cracks

VanDerMeer, Frans P.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Analytical Simulation of Effects of Local Mechanisms and Microstructure on Creep Response of Unidirectional Ceramic Matrix Composites

A micromechanics-based method has been developed to analyze the creep response of uncoated ceramic matrix minicomposites. Although the global stress level at which the creep response is analyzed is lower than the composite proportional limit, local stresses are assumed to be high enough that localized damage is present in the composite in the form of matrix microcracks. To model the composite creep response, including the effects of matrix cracking, a fiber shear lag-based methodology is employed. In this approach, stresses are assumed to vary in the fiber as a function of time and distance from the crack plane. The varying stresses are then used to compute the overall creep strain for the composite. Various assumptions regarding the level of matrix microcracking in the composite and the level of creep in the fiber and matrix in various portions of the composite unit cell are also examined. The creep response of the fiber is modeled using a linear Burgers model. The model is applied to a SiCf/SiC unidirectional minicomposite system. The computed creep results are compared to experimentally obtained values. The effects of the local fiber volume fraction on the overall creep response of the composite are also studied. This work will allow increased understanding of the key material damage mechanisms and load sharing that take place during creep conditions and can be expanded to provide improved analysis methods for full macrocomposites.

Micromechanics↗
NASA NTRS2024

Analytical Simulation of the Effects of Local Mechanisms and Microstructure on the Creep Response of Unidirectional Ceramic Matrix Composites

A micromechanics-based method has been developed to analyze the creep response of uncoated ceramic matrix minicomposites. Although the global stress level at which the creep response is analyzed is lower than the composite proportional limit, local stresses are assumed to be high enough that localized damage is present in the composite in the form of matrix microcracks. To model the composite creep response including the effects of matrix cracking, a fiber shear lag-based methodology is employed. In this approach, stresses are assumed to vary in the fiber as a function of time and distance from the crack plane. The varying stresses are then used to compute the overall creep strain for the composite. Various assumptions regarding the level of matrix microcracking in the composite, and the level of creep in the fiber and matrix in various portions of the composite unit cell, are also examined. The creep response of the fiber is modeled using a linear Burgers model. The model is applied to a SiC f /SiC unidirectional minicomposite system. The computed creep results are compared to experimentally obtained values. The effects of the local fiber volume fraction on the overall creep response of the composite are also studied. This work will allow increased understanding of the key material damage mechanisms and load sharing that take place during creep conditions and can be expanded to provide improved analysis methods for full macrocomposites.

Micromechanics↗
NASA NTRS1989

Reynolds stress development in pressure-driven three-dimensional turbulent boundary layers

The development of the Reynolds stress field was studied for flows in which an initially two-dimensional boundary layer was skewed sideways by a spanwise pressure gradient ahead of an upstream-facing wedge. Two different wedges were used, providing a variation in the boundary-layer skewing. Measurements of all components of the Reynolds stress tensor and all ten triple products were measured using a rotatable cross-wire anemometer. The results show the expected lag of the shear stress vector behind the strain rate. Comparison of the two present experiments with previous data suggests that the lag can be estimated if the radius of curvature of the free-stream streamline is known. The magnitude of the shear stress vector in the plane of the wall is seen to decrease rapidly as the boundary-layer skewing increases. The amount of decrease is apparently related to the skewing angle between the wall and the free stream. The triple products evolve rapidly and profiles in the three-dimensional boundary layer are considerably different than two-dimensional profiles, leaving little hope for gradient transport models for the Reynolds stresses. The simplified model presented by Rotta (1979) performs reasonably well providing that an appropriate value of the T-parameter is chosen.

Anderson, Shawn D.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Challenge Problem 1: Preliminary Results of the Direct Numerical Simulation of Transient Flows

This report presents the first direct numerical simulations (DNS) of transient mixed convection in an idealized downcomer-like channel (Challenge Problem 1, Phase II). Using the GPU-accelerated NekRS solver, we modeled a sudden decay in driving pressure, mimicking loss-of-flow events, and tracked the resulting evolution of Reynolds number, boundary-layer structure, turbulence statistics, and heat-transfer metrics. Key findings include the systematic thickening and eventual asymmetry of velocity and thermal boundary layers under buoyant deceleration; minimal “memory” lag in Reynolds shear stress and TKE profiles when sampled at matching Re, yet clear shifts of peak locations toward the cooled wall; overshoots in transient eddy-viscosity and eddy-diffusivity (and corresponding sub-unity turbulent Prandtl numbers) on the cooled side; and a pronounced transient Nusselt-number enhancement driven by wall-temperature inertia and residual eddy mixing. These effects combined to offer a temporary cooling margin above steady-state predictions during reactor LOF transients. Future work will extend this work to a more complex “Case II” geometry (90° turn + lower plenum) and generate multi-Re/Pr datasets for data-driven turbulence closures.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
NASA NTRS1986

Response of hot element wall shear stress gages in laminar oscillating flows

An experimental investigation of the time-dependent response of hot element wall shear stress gages in unsteady periodic air flows is reported. The study has focused on wall shear stress in laminar oscillating flows produced on a flat plate by a free stream velocity composed of a mean component and a superposed sinusoidal variation. Two types of hot element gages, platinum film and flush wire, were tested for values of reduced frequency ranging from 0.14 to 2.36. Values of the phase angle of the wall shear stress variation relative to the free stream velocity, as indicated by the hot element gages, are compared with numerical prediction. The comparisons show that the gages indicate a wall shear stress variation that lags the true variation, and that the gages will also not indicate the correct wall shear stress variation in periodic turbulent flows.

Cook, W. J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Experiments on near-wall structure of three-dimensional boundary layers

Investigations of three-dimensional turbulent boundary layers have shown basic differences between two- and three-dimensional flows. These differences can significantly impact the modeling of three-dimensional flows since many flow models are based on results from two-dimensional boundary layers. In many cases the shear stress vector direction has been shown to lag relative to the direction of the mean velocity gradient as the cross flow grows downstream. Coincidence of these vectors is necessary for a scalar eddy viscosity modeling assumption. A second effect is a reduction in magnitude of the shear stress and/or the shear stress to turbulence energy ratio, a(sub 1). This reduction has been observed in several experiments. Recent numerical simulations also indicate wall-layer structural differences between two- and three-dimensional boundary layers. The differences in structure between two- and three-dimensional boundary layers was also addressed in the experiment of Littell & Eaton. The experiment used two-point correlations to investigate the vortical structures in a three dimensional boundary layer on a spinning disk. It was found that each sign of longitudinal vortex is equally likely to exist, but one sign of vorticity is associated with a structure which is better at producing ejections. The goal of the current investigation is to study the structure of the inner layers. Among other questions, the differences between the effects deduced from the three-dimensional flow simulations and the effects seen in experiments can be examined. The research concentrates on the structure of the wall-layer through flow visualization and direct turbulence measurements down to y(+) = 5.

Flack, Karen A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Non-linear dynamic response of a wind turbine blade

The paper outlines the nonlinear dynamic analysis of an isolated three-degree flap-lag-feather wind turbine blade under a gravity field and with shear flow. Lagrangian equations are used to derive the nonlinear equations of motion of blade for arbitrarily large angular deflections. The limit cycle analysis for forced oscillations and the determination of the principal parametric resonance of the blade due to periodic forces from the gravity field and wind shear are performed using the harmonic balance method. Results are obtained first for a two-degree flap-lag blade, then the effect of the third degree of freedom (feather) is studied. The self-excited flutter solutions are obtained for a uniform wind and with gravity forces neglected. The effects of several parameters on the blade stability are examined, including coning angle, structural damping, Lock number, and feather frequency. The limit cycle flutter solution of a typical configuration shows a substantial nonlinear softening spring behavior.

Chopra, I.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Aeroelastic tailoring of rotor blades for vibration reduction in forward flight

Modern structural optimization techniques are applied to vibration reduction of helicopter rotor blades in forward flight. The objective function minimized consists of the oscillatory vertical hub shears or the hub rolling moments at one particular advance ratio. The behavior constraints are the frequency placements of the blade and the requirement that aeroelastic stability margins, in hover, remain unaffected by the optimization process. The aeroelastic stability and response analysis is based on a fully coupled flap-lag-torsional analysis of the blade. The vertical hub shears and rolling moments used as the objective function are obtained by appropriate integration of the loads acting along the span of the blade combined with a transformation to a hub fixed coordinate system, and a summation over the total number of blades. Numerical results for both a stiff-in-plane and a soft-in-plane configuration are presented, indicating that structural optimization yields the highest benefits when applied to soft-in-plane blade configuration. The results indicate substantial (15-40 percent) reduction in vibration levels, as well as a blade which is 20 percent lighter than the initial design.

Friedmann, P. P.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Short-term fluctuations in the eddy heat flux and baroclinic stability of the atmosphere

National Meteorological Center data from midlatitudes for three Januaries is used in calculating time series of the zonal mean meridional eddy heat flux and the zonal mean baroclinic stability, as measured by the difference between the zonal wind shear and the critical value of the shear in two-level models. Time-lagged correlations between the two series reveal a highly significant negative correlation for short time lags, peaking at approximately -0.4 when the stability parameter lags one half day behind the eddy flux. They also reveal that strongly unstable conditions are not followed by significant increases in the eddy flux. These results are seen as indicating that the synoptic variations of the zonal mean eddy flux are not closely related to the degree of baroclinic instability of the zonal mean flow. The autocorrelation of the eddy flux is then compared with those expected for autoregressive processes. A Bayesian information criterion suggests that the behavior is represented best by a damped oscillation, with a damping time of 0.8 day and a period of five days.

Stone, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Empirical models of the eddy heat flux and vertical shear on short time scales

An intimate relation exists between the vertical shear and the horizontal eddy heat flux within the atmosphere. In the present investigation empirical means are employed to provide clues concerning the relationship between the shear and eddy heat flux. In particular, linear regression models are applied to individual and joint time series of the shear and eddy heat flux. These discrete models are used as a basis to infer continuous models. A description is provided of the observed relationship between the flux and the shear, taking into account means, standard deviations, and lag correction functions.

Ghan, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Pilot-aircraft system reponse to wind shear

The nonlinear aircraft motion and automatic control model is expanded to incorporate the human pilot into simulations of aircraft response to wind to wind shear. The human pilot is described by a constant gains lag filter. Two runs are carried out using pilot transfer functions. Fixed-stick, autopilot, and manned computer simulations are made with an aircraft having characteristics of a small commuter type aircraft flown through longitudinal winds measured by a Doppler radar beamed along the glide slope. Simulations are also made flying an aircraft through sinusoidal head wind and tail wind shears at the phugoid frequency to evaluate the response of manned aircraft in thunderstorm wind environments.

Turkel, B. S.↗